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Veni, vidi. Vici Paeoniae Exercitu or as all good Latin scholars would recognize that’s the famous line from Caesar’s speech on the floor of the Roman Senate after another victory. The Bear adaptation is I came, I saw, I conquered a Homecoming. For the 2nd week, Landon ruined a homecoming; this time the wrecked homecoming was Bullis’ festivities.

Bullis hit the field full of energy and anticipation of a victory basking in the reflection of the monstrous Snow White mirror, a/k/a videotron. The home team (WaPo #13) had a 4-2 record with a win over #6 Quince Orchard, and losses to ranked Gonzaga (#5) and St. Mary’s Ryken (#20). NOTE: the last time the Bears beat the Bulldogs was 2013.

Their offense would have made legendary Ohio State football Coach Woodie Hayes,” three yards and a cloud of dust”, proud. The Bulldogs have averaged 40+ carries and 268 yards per game[1], yes that’s 6.6 yards per carry against tough opposition. The Bulldog line posed the BIGGEST test for the visitors with several tagged with major college commitments plus a backfield of 5 runners with more than 5 yards per carry.

The Bears showed their complex wing team offense in their 1st drive—from their own 20 to the home team’s 23 on 10 plays, but the Big Bullis D pushed the Bethesda team back, forcing a punt. Swiss Army Knife Dane Camphausen punt put the Potomac team on its own 10. Ten minutes on the clock (into the 2nd Q) 19 plays and 90 yards later, the “Homecomers” scored at 11:25.

SPOILER ALERT: On the first PAT attempt, Landon jumped offsides, setting the ball on the 2.5 yards line. The Bullis coach ran his two point conversion team, but they had a false start. What happened next is not 100% clear (video will tell later), but either the snap to the ball holder was bad and he then scrambled to be sacked OR the Bullis coach called for a two point play which failed. [version #2 is favored] BULLDOGS 6 BEARS 0 at 11:25 of Q2.

Landon responded with a 3 and out, but a great Dane punt and a Bullis Penalty (personal foul #1) but them back on their own 10 again. The Woodie Hayes offense cranked up again with 11 running plays. But again, quoting from the OSU guru, a bad thing happened—a fumble.

Landon had the ball on the Bullis 43, but a Bear penalty and a QB sack denied that opportunity. Dane punted into the end zone putting the ball on his team’s 20.

With 2:15 remaining, SURPRISE, Bullis hit its running game. They made it over the 50 yard line, but two successive Bulldog penalties stopped the drive

HALFTIME BULLDOGS 6 BEARS 0

Having deferred at the start of the game, the home team received the kickoff. Two Personal fouls (#2 and #3) pushed them back. A shank by the Bullis punter gave the Bears great field position—1st and 10. Another personal foul on the home team (#4) advanced the ball for the Bears. A brilliant QB scramble, Kino Lilly, moved the ball towards the goal. Zayd DeLane bulldozed the ball to the 2 yard line on two successive carries. Kino crossed the goal line @ 7:17. The Dane PAT, VICTORY KICK, made it BEARS 7 BULLDOGS 6

At 7:15 of Q2, the Woodie Hayes’ offense began to grind again—25 plays, 52 yards and over 9 minutes. The home team moved to 22 yards from a touch down of possibly a game winning field goal. Personal foul (#5), taunting moved it beyond a possible 3 point attempt. The Landon D was stout—Jalen Williams, Tejon Ford, Tyler Smith, Chazz Harley, Jelani Machen, Zayd DeLane, Stephen Bou, Mansour DeLayne, Mitch Laughlin, Evan Murray, Jelani Cross, Joshua Chapman, Graham Hertzberg, Tommy Kenary, Terrence Bridgers and Greg Johnson. Without having the game statistics, it is fair to guess that the Bulldogs did not reach their rushing average.

Now in the last quarter, the Bears O possessed the ball for 3 minutes relying on the same linemen to open holes in the Bulldog D. A Dane 38 yard punt pushed the home team back to its 37. Four runs, which by average should have gained 24 yards, only yielded 23. An incomplete pass was followed up by a TFL by Zayd. The Bulldogs tried to convert a 4th and 17, but failed. Ball back to the visitors and the O was only able to hold the ball for three plays. Zane’s punt out the Bulldogs 68 yards from their goal line, with 3:16 on the clock. Eight runs were followed by an incomplete pass and on the last Bullis play they fumbled.

With only 0:53.1 left, the Bears ran out the clock!!!

One of the players as he ran off the field yelled “Is there anything better than beating Bullis!!!” INDEED!

BEARS 7 BULLDOGS 6

The Bears are 6-0 heading into another tough game against Georgetown Prep.